Death Toll In Nigeria Reaches 98 After Church Attacks, Reprisals

Reprisals after three church bombings on Sunday have continued in Nigeria, and The Associated Press reports the death toll has reached 98.

The AP adds:

"A rescue services official said more than 98 people have died since Sunday after a trio of church bombings sparked reprisals in Kaduna state. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists.

"A radical sect known as Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for attacks on churches in the cities of Zaria and Kaduna, setting off violence that eclipsed the original attacks."

As Korva told us yesterday, the fighting is between Christians and Muslims. Boko Haram said that it attacked churches in retaliation for earlier attacks against Muslims.

"Mukhtar Abubakar, a resident who spoke to Daily Trust on phone said: 'This is a depressing and pathetic moment for us. We are all traumatized ...our wives and children are crying and all of us are hopeless. We pray to Almighty Allah to relieve our pains.'

"'We heard sounds of five more blasts around 12.noon but someone told me that it was the police anti bomb squad that detonated them after finding them in some sensible locations,' Abubakar said, adding that he could still see some smoke billowing in some parts of the town."